


Wild Truths

by catpatronus



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - Thorne & Rowling
Genre: Bisexual Scorpius, Coming Out, Gay Albus, Harry Potter Next Generation, Hogwarts, LGBTQ Themes, M/M, Post-Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Scorbus, Slytherin Albus Severus Potter, Slytherin Scorpius Malfoy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-01
Updated: 2017-05-30
Packaged: 2018-09-27 19:09:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 7,947
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10040519
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/catpatronus/pseuds/catpatronus
Summary: It's been two years since the time turner incident, and things have finally settled down for Albus and Scorpius. But that doesn't mean they're free of stress. Less time spent stressing out about having almost destroyed the world means more time for the boys to think about their own feelings...and their feelings for each other. Albus and Scorpius soon discover some wild truths about themselves- but maybe they're not so wild, after all.





	1. The First of September

**Author's Note:**

> I know that this first chapter is extremely short and it's starting off slow, but I promise soon the pace will pick up and you'll get some Scorbus (and longer chapters when the story gets interesting). Enjoy!

It was September first, and just like every other year, the Potters were running about to get everything ready for another year at Hogwarts. Ginny waved her wand as sizzling eggs gracefully landed on each of her children’s plates (except for James’s- this was his first year after graduating from Hogwarts, and he helped his younger siblings pack their bags so he could see them off before going to work). This year was off to a slightly more tranquil start than the past few years, as the Potters now only had to deal with the stress of sending off two children. Albus was entering his sixth year as a Slytherin, and Lily her fourth as a Gryffindor.

Lily, however, was already in a fuss, being her usual, demanding self: “Mum, where are my hairbands? And my new socks? I need to find them before we leave!”

“Well,” Ginny exclaimed sassily, “Maybe if you took responsibility for your own belongings, you wouldn’t have so much trouble finding them. Besides, I told you to start packing last night, so if you don’t finish before we go to the station, that’s your fault.”

Lily sulked and continued scrambling to put everything together while finishing her breakfast, one arm balancing her plate and the other elbow-deep in her drawer, trying to find matching socks to wear for the day.

Albus, on the other hand, was in a much better mood than usual. While his fourth year at Hogwarts had been utter chaos post almost-destroying-the-world, his fifth year had been rather nice. Everything had settled down, he was getting along better with his classmates, and, of course, he had his best mate Scorpius.

Scorpius. Although they had been writing one another all summer, they only saw each other once. Scorpius had stopped by the Potter house to say goodbye to him two days after the school year ended, for he was off to spend the summer travelling Europe with his father. Albus couldn’t wait any longer to give him a hug, to see the lanky boy’s lively smile once again. He was taking the last bite of his eggs when his father called him to come outside.

“Lily! Albus! Let’s go! You’re going to be late!”

“I’ll be over in a minute, I’ve just got to clean up and grab my bags.”

“Hurry up, it’s ten-forty-five! We don’t have time for cleaning, just get over here! We’re leaving now!”

Upon arriving to King Cross station, the Potter family got the usual strange looks. After all, it wasn’t every day that muggles saw children wheeling trolley carts and carrying caged owls through the train station. They reached the platform barrier at 10:59, and immediately rushed through the second that the coast became clear. Just a minute later, the barrier sealed behind them and the Hogwarts Express, in its full glory, chugged into the station.

“Albus!” Albus’s ears perked up at the familiar voice. Scorpius, as expected, was here. Albus leaned in for a hug, but Scorpius resisted. “No, no! We have to get a compartment to ourselves before anyone else takes the best ones! Save the hugging for the train.”

Albus smirked, then turned to say goodbye to his family. At this point, saying goodbye was not a big deal; after having attended Hogwarts for five years, Albus had grown used to leaving his family, and knew that he would see them soon.

And so the two boys sprinted into the train, dashed into the first compartment they saw, and slid the door shut with a click.


	2. Scorpius Magic

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> well, I finished chapter 2 quicker than I expected. here you go!
> 
> ((also, fair warning for this chapter has some homophobia and some strong language but nothing too severe))
> 
> Enjoy!

“So Scorpius,” Albus teased, “You said save the hugs for the train.” Albus squeezed Scorpius into a bear hug, and Scorpius laughed- well, he tried to laugh, anyway. It came out more like wheezing, for Albus’s hug was just a little too tight. Only a little. He didn’t mind in the least.

“Sorry,” Albus giggled, “I’m just really excited to see you. I swear, life’s been an awful bore without you around…”

And they continued to talk, and talk, and talk.

….

“Potter! Malfoy! Quit snogging and open up!” Though the compartment door’s frosted glass made it difficult to tell, the boys could decipher the figures of Everett Clark and Connor O’Malley, two of their fellow Slytherins and (unfortunate) dorm mates.

Albus turned tomato red, and he hoped that Scorpius couldn’t see his face.

Little did he know that Scorpius had the exact same reaction.

“Just ignore them,” sighed the level-headed blond, slightly exasperated, “They’ll go away eventually. I don’t want to deal with their bullshit, at least not until we actually arrive at Hogwarts. They’ve got all year to torment us.”

“Come on, quit making love and open the damn door! We know what you two are, the least you could do is stop acting on it and open the door! You can’t hide in there forever!” That voice was distinctly Connor’s. The rough, loud tone gave him away immediately.

Albus began to panic. “We’re not snogging! Leave us alone! You know that there’s nothing going on here, you bloody idiots!”  
“Well then, open up the door and prove it!”

“Albus, don’t…”

But it was too late. Albus had already slid open the door in rage, leaving them exposed and revealing that half of the Slytherins in their year were staring them down, along with a few scattered students from other houses.

“Expelliarmus!” Both Albus and Scorpius had been disarmed, and to their dismay, their wands had both been seized by Connor. 

“Look,” growled Everett, “You too blokes can do whatever you want, I don’t give a shit. I just want to know if you’re like, a couple or something, so I can get a dorm change. I don’t want that nasty shit in my room. So just shut up and tell us the truth and we’ll leave you alone. Lie to us and you can say goodbye to your precious wands.”

To the boys’ alarm, Connor held both of their wands above his head, slightly bending them as if he were about to break them.

Albus glared at the pair, while Scorpius’s eyes seemed shift around the room.

“Hey, wait!” Connor exclaimed, “Scorpius has that moronic crush on Rose. We can leave him alone. Besides, why would he want to go out with Potter anyway?” He scoffed, and the whole group roared with laughter.

For some reason, the thought of Scorpius snogging Rose left Albus with a bitter taste in his mouth. Maybe it was because it would be strange for his best friend to get with his cousin. Or maybe he was just a little jealous that his cousin could take over his place in Scorpius’s life.

“Shut the fuck up, O’Malley.” Scorpius’s voice was dry and bitter, harsher than Albus had ever heard before. “Anyone would be lucky to be with Albus.”

Albus’s heart swelled, and he felt his entire face turning red. He was pretty sure the other boys noticed, because he caught them snickering and whispering, probably planning some new horrific insult for Albus.

Thankfully, Professor Longbottom entered their train car before anything else could happen to warn the students that they would be arriving at Hogwarts in five minutes. Everyone immediately scrambled to grab their bags and change into their robes, and in the presence of a teacher, the group returned the wands to Albus and Scorpius.

Once they had their belongings all set to go, Albus and Scorpius met up once again.

“Thank you.” Said Albus. “For standing up for me, I mean.” He could feel himself turning red again and prayed to Merlin’s beard that Scorpius didn’t notice.  
“No problem,” said Scorpius, his back to the window. “It’s what I’m here for. Besides, if they get on your back again, I learned some new hexes. Maybe I’ll test one out on them, if it makes you feel better.”

Albus laughed, and Scorpius flashed him a smile and a wink.

Scorpius didn’t need to cast any spells to lighten Albus’s spirits. His sole presence was magical enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sounds like Albus has a crush...
> 
> Thanks for reading! Hope you all liked it and feel free to leave any comments!  
> What do you guys think so far?


	3. Emerald Curtains

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Andddd chapter 3 is finally up!

Upon arriving at Hogwarts, students were immediately greeted by the many ghosts of Hogwarts. Albus and Scorpius laughed at the gaping expressions of the first years as Nearly Headless Nick did his famous trick, his head swinging off as if attached to his body by only a hinge. Then, everyone was brought to the Great Hall to witness the Sorting Ceremony. Headmistress McGonagall stood before the mass of students, placing her wand to her throat to amplify her voice.

“Welcome, new and returning students, to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry,” she began. “You have been selected to attend this fine institution because each and every one of you is a gifted witch or wizard who deserves only the best magical education in all of Europe. Now, I will leave it to the Sorting Hat, who will sort each of our new students into one of four houses, each with its own outstanding virtues: Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw, or Hufflepuff.”

The Sorting Hat belted its usual tune, and Albus rolled his eyes (he had always found it to be rather silly- Scorpius, on the other hand, had a slight smile on his lips as he hummed along to the cheerful melody). “Abrams, Annalise”, was the first person called, an energetic, round-faced blonde. She was sorted into Gryffindor, and Lily cheered along with the rest of her house.

“Yes!” the girl exclaimed, “I’ve been sorted into the Potter house!”

Scorpius must have seen a trace of pain in Albus’s eyes, because he rubbed his hand on Albus’s back and whispered in his ear, making every single hair on Albus’s body stand up. Suddenly he was awake, aware, grounded. Whenever his mind wandered to dark places, Scorpius’s touch brought him back down to Earth, making him aware of each and every one of his senses.

“It’s okay, mate. If you ask me, you’re the best Potter without a doubt. Who gives a shit if you’re not in Gryffindor with the rest of them? That doesn’t make you any less of a Potter.”

“Thanks.” Albus responded, a little less dejectedly. He’d heard the same words millions of times, and they never meant much. But at least Scorpius tried, and that whisper, that caress, made things a little better. He could always rely on his best mate’s affection (Platonic affection of course, as Scorpius was in love with Rose, and Albus certainly had no feelings for Scorpius...right?)

The ceremony continued without a hitch, and soonafter every first year had found a home in their new house. The following feast was delicious, but uneventful; Professor McGonagall then dismissed them all to their dormitories, and the boys retreated into the dungeon under the lake. Within only a few minutes of settling into the common room, the Head Boy entered to shoo everyone into their dormitories.

The sixth year Slytherin boys’ dormitories were rather unpleasant (not that the rooms themselves weren’t nice- Hogwarts had excellent facilities; rather, it was the people). Clark and O’Malley, as usual, took up as much space as humanly possible. They ran about the room, roughhousing and trash-talking practically every boy that dwelled there. Of course, Albus and Scorpius’s entrance attracted extra attention from the rascals, but the two boys had learned to ignore the comments. Not acknowledging a single comment, the boys marched directly towards Albus’s enormous bed, sat on it, and closed the bed curtains (Both of the boys swore there was nothing going on there, despite the, well, suggestive location. The bed acted as a fort for them to hang out, as it was large enough for the both of them to sit on. It was perfect- the emerald curtains enveloped them into a space that was strictly theirs. Even the other rowdy boys, who often made fun of them for “acting like a couple”, had learned to stop questioning this behavior- there had been many times in which they had opened the boys’ curtains and found them simply doing homework or playing wizard chess.)

“So Scorpius,” Albus teased, “N.E.W.T.S. begin this year. Excited?” He gave Scorpius a sarcastic smirk; Scorpius was a notorious procrastinator who absolutely detested homework. His ambitions lied with other successes- those that did not involve exams and research papers.

Scorpius groaned. “Blimey, Albus, we’ve only been here a day and you’ve already begun to thrive on my misery.” He laughed as he dramatically collapsed into a fetal position, as if the sole mention of work had killed him. Of course, Albus knew that he was joking.

“You’re welcome, Scorp.”

The two boys continued their rambles, conversation topics ranging from philosophical discussions on life’s purpose to heated (but playful) debates on the legalization of recreational gillyweed.

They didn’t even notice when the sun sank in the sky, when the other boys settled down for sleep, or when the hours passed. After hours upon hours of discourse and discussion, a sleepy Albus, still fully dressed in his robes, drifted into slumber, his head nestled in the crook of his friends arm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trust me- despite what the boys say, this is anything but platonic!
> 
> What do you all think?


	4. Wake Up Call

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I just updated yesterday, but I procrastinated my work quite a bit today and this chapter happened :D
> 
> Also I know I've been updating a lot recently, but I probably won't get any other chapters done this week, as I have a ton of tests and essays this week (oh, the joy of being a high school student) and some approaching deadlines for other things so I'm going to be pretty busy. Maybe if we're lucky I'll be able to update earlier, but I'll definitely try and update by the weekend.
> 
> Hope you like this chapter!

“Albus? Albus, wake up, it’s time for Herbology! We can’t be late on the first day of class!”

Albus shifted groggily, still half asleep. He groaned, rubbing his eyes; within a second of opening them, he practically flew into the air, a rush of panic coursing through his veins.

“Scorpius? Scorpius! Oh! Shit! Shit I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to fall asleep in your bed, l-let alone on top of you. I-I’m so fucking sorry. I probably made you so uncomfortable.” His face felt like it was on fire, and his body flashed as if having been dunked in ice water. He stammered, trying to finish his apology: “R-r-really, you should’ve- you should’ve- oh, I don’t know, w-woken me up? I’m so sorry I don’t want to make this weird but I...well...fuck. I don’t know.” He placed his head in his hands in defeat and gave Scorpius a dejected (and mortified) look. At this rate, his face was probably the same crimson color that donned the Gryffindor banners.

The blond boy just laughed, his face only slightly red, and ran his hand through his hair. “Al, what has gotten into you? It’s alright, I don’t mind in the least! You’ve fallen asleep on me before, so why the sudden panic?”

Slightly reassured by Scorpius’s quick forgiveness, Albus sighed. Scorpius made a good point- this had happened before, and it really wasn’t a big deal. After the whole “almost destroying the world by messing with time” situation, the boys had started to hug a lot more than normal (soon the touching just felt natural, rather than uncomfortable) and there had been many instances in which they had dozed off on each others’ shoulders, whether in the common room or on the Hogwarts Express. Something had just felt different lately. Scorpius seemed a bit flustered as well, but he seemed to have changed a bit- rather than being his awkward (often dorky) self, Scorpius had become (somewhat) cool, calm, and collected. Growing up into an eloquent young man.

He guessed that things were just changing between them. On the bright side, Scorpius seemed to have lost some interest in Rose; he hadn’t really spoken about her in his summer letters to Albus, and he had yet to mention her to him in person yet. However, Albus seemed to have developed this glaring awkwardness around Scorpius.

Around the end of the last school year, James had teased Albus about never having had a girlfriend. He had never thought much about it, but when James mentioned dating to Albus, he couldn’t imagine spending the rest of his life with a girl. When he thought about the future, all he really saw was Scorpius…

He had ignored these feelings over the summer, blaming it on being a “late bloomer”. But the pieces had slowly begun to come together. The surge of excitement he got when opening a letter from Scorpius. The troublesome mix of fear and excitement at Scorpius’s touch. The gnawing pit of envy in his stomach at every mention of Scorpius and Rose. His vision of the future with Scorpius over any woman. And most recently, the final element. The awkward, excruciating, flustered embarrassment that overcame Albus after having done nothing more than nap on his arm. 

Fuck.

“...Albus?” Scorpius regarded Albus with a look of confusion and concern. “Are you alright?”

Albus immediately snapped out of his trance. He had forgotten that Scorpius was waiting for his response. “What? Oh, yeah. Yeah. I’m alright. Sorry. Just tired. You’re right. I-I don’t know why I was so weird. I’m tired. Let’s go to class.”

As Albus brushed his teeth, he looked in the mirror. He was going to have to face it. This morning had been, quite literally, a wake up call for him.

He was gay, and he was madly in love with his best friend.

Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shit just got real...hope you all enjoyed :)
> 
> So yeah, I'll try and update this weekend.
> 
> Thoughts on this chapter?


	5. The Outing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I finished earlier than expected- so enjoy!

“Scorpius, today’s our first Hogsmeade outing of the year!” Albus parted the curtains of his friend’s bed, observing his restful demeanor before tapping his shoulder to wake him up (he could talk to Scorpius all he wanted, but that boy slept like a ton of bricks- he usually could only be woken by harsh shaking equating the magnitude of an earthquake). The blond murmured sleepily, letting out a sigh and shifting his position ever so slightly. His hair was plastered to his face, probably from having slept on one side of his head for too long, and his knees were curled up to his chest. 

“Scorpius,” Albus whispered, gently shaking him awake, “It’s time to go to Hogsmeade.”

A little over a month had passed since the bed incident, and things were a little less awkward between the pair (or at least Albus hoped so). He was looking forward to spending the day in Hogsmeade with Scorpius, hoping that he could act normal around his friend once again.

_Unless_ , Albus thought to himself, _if today he could tell Scorpius_.

Surprisingly, the boy woke up without much effort on Albus’s part. Scorpius’s eyes fluttered open as he stretched his hands above his head. Albus left the curtains open and began to get dressed while Scorpius rolled out of bed, exhausted but seemingly content.

“Al, can we get breakfast at the Great Hall first?” He yawned as his stomach growled. “I’m starving.”

“Yeah, of course.” Albus rummaged through his wardrobe and decided on a plain grey shirt with some jeans. Basic, but practical, he supposed.

_He would, not, of course, tell Scorpius of his feelings for him. Only that he was gay._

Scorpius glanced over as he made his bed. “It’s supposed to be chilly in Hogsmeade today,” he remarked, “Might want to bundle up a little more than that.”

Nodding in agreement, Albus tried to repress the grin that was forming on his lips. Scorpius was so sweet; he had never met someone who looked out for him in this way. 

_Did he really want to risk changing his friendship by revealing such a wild truth?_

“Hey Scorpius!” Albus pulled his green Slytherin scarf from his trunk. “Scarf or no scarf?”

“Scarf.” Scorpius paused for a moment, as in deep thought. “It-it brings out your eyes.”

Albus’s face went red and he barely stammered out a “thank you” before turning around out of pure joy- and embarrassment.

He was relieved when he turned back around and saw that Scorpius, too, seemed a bit flustered.

Scorpius quickly pulled on some clothes, and the boys headed down to the Great Hall to get a quick breakfast.

_He was going to do it. If he couldn’t be honest with Scorpius about this, could he be honest about anything?_

…

The Great Hall was bustling with students, all rushing to breakfast before Hogsmeade was too crowded. The boys snagged seats across from Rose and her group of friends.

“Hey Rose!”

Albus didn’t understand why he felt a knot in his stomach at the sight of Scorpius just talking to her. It was perfectly normal behavior, and Scorpius wasn’t even exhibiting any romantic motives at the moment. Whatever. He wasn’t going to let his silly thoughts ruin the day.

“Hi Scorpius,” Rose responded to him in a tone that was rather friendly, but not flirty. “Not gonna ask me out again today, are you?” She teased. They all laughed. This was good. They were becoming more of friends, and Scorpius appeared to have moved on to the joking stage of getting over it. And for once, he didn’t look even the slightest bit flustered. “Besides, I don’t think I’ve told you two yet, but I’m seeing Yann Fredericks.”

As if on cue, Yann came up behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders. She looked up at him and they shared a quick peck on the lips.

Shockingly enough, Scorpius looked almost unphased by it all. Almost. 

“Al, are you ready to go?”

“Yeah, let’s get going now before the rush.” 

“Wait,” Rose squinted at Albus, giving him a long, hard look. “I thought you hated being called Al!”

“I do.” Albus shrugged. “But it’s fine when Scorpius says it.”

Rose gave him her typical “I know something you’re not telling me” look, but Albus wasn’t in the mood for her teasing, whether it was out of love or not. He grabbed Scorpius by the arm, helping him out of his seat, and the pair took off to Hogsmeade.

He tried to keep steady, hoping that Scorpius couldn’t feel him shaking. _He was going to do it._  

…

After having spent a good portion of the day browsing through the shops (and an especially long time at Honeydukes, where Scorpius debated between buying an extra-large package of every-flavor-beans or a special chocolate frog with a signed surprise card by a famous witch or wizard) (he ended up purchasing the chocolate frog), the boys stopped at the Three Broomsticks for lunch.

“Want a Butterbeer?” Albus offered. “I can buy you one. I still owe you for several from last year, so it’s the least I can do.” He hoped that the butterbeers would calm both of them down, maybe relieve some tension before “the big reveal”. It wasn’t even that big of a deal, right?

To Albus’s surprise, Scorpius was the one stammering this time. “What? Oh, you-you remembered that? Damn Albus, you’ve got quite a good memory. But yeah, yeah, I-I’ll have one. Thanks. I mean, if you don’t mind. If not, that’s fine too. I’m good either way-” 

“Of course I don’t mind, you dork,” Albus laughed and ordered two butterbeers, and they each ordered their food. Within minutes, they were served.

_This was it._

Albus could feel his heart pulsing into his throat, through his ears, and into his head. He began to feel a little dizzy, and the edges of his vision were darkening. His hands shaking and clammy and his face on fire, he attempted to talk himself into doing it. 

_What was the worst possible thing that could happen?_

_Losing Scorpius as a friend._

_But if Scorpius was truly his friend, he wouldn’t care, right?_

“Albus?” Albus nearly jumped out of his seat. Scorpius had snapped him out of his trance. “Are you alright? You look awfully pale.” Scorpius furrowed his brow and reached a hand out to Albus’s shoulder, a gesture of genuine concern.

“Y-yeah, I-I-I’m fine, I just, well, I have something to tell you. Actually, nevermind. It’s fucking stupid. I’m worrying about nothing. For-forget it.” Albus barely stuttered through, feeling oddly out of breath. He shamefully put his head on the table and closed his eyes, trying to forget his complete and utter stupidity.

“Albus.” Scorpius’s face was serious, far different from his usual demeanor. “I know you’re not okay. You know that you can tell me anything; I’m not going to judge you, and I won’t tell anyone if you don’t want me to. I just want you to be alright.”

“Okay.” Albus took a deep breath, preparing himself for what he was going to say. He took a long sip of butterbeer, completely draining his cup, taking the most time he possibly could to contemplate what he was about to do.

Scorpius looked at him, his grey eyes rich with concern. “It’s okay, Albus. You’re safe here.”

“Scorpius,” Albus choked back tears, swallowed, and tried to his very hardest to keep his voice steady. Gently placing the empty mug on the table, he inhaled once again. He opened his mouth, then closed it again, then closed his eyes, then opened them again. He decided to just blurt it out. Like ripping off a bandage.

“I’m gay.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeah. That happened.
> 
> Thoughts?


	6. Invincible

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The chapter is finally up! I'm SO SORRY that I was absent for a week- school has been really stressful for me, and my AP classes are a ton of work, so I haven't had much time to write :((( I'll try to be more active soon- I have a bunch tests and deadlines next week but after that I'm going to have a lot more time :) enjoy!

“Oh.” Scorpius’s eyebrows furrowed, and he tilted his head slightly. He paused. “Well-”

Albus interrupted Scorpius before he could say anything else. His eyes were filling to the brims with tears to the point where the world was nothing but a blur. Sweat was beading up all over his body, and his throat felt as if it had been coated in sandpaper. Everything just came out at once as his face exploded into an eruption of tears, his voice catching and his breath shaky. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have blurted it out like that. I-I know you probably think I’m some kind of f-freak or something but I don’t want this to ruin our friendship and you can just forget I said that if it helps? I might not even be gay anyway, who knows! But please, Scorpius, at least try to hear me out-”

“Albus!” The boys locked eyes. Albus found calm in the serene, clear grey of Scorpius’s eyes, and the fact that he was talking to him- that he at least said his name- was a good sign. “It’s okay. Don’t freak out. I don’t mind in the least. That doesn’t change a thing between us.” He reached out his hand and grabbed Albus’s, a reassuring gesture. “I’m here. I’ll always hear you out. I’m never going to leave you. You’re okay.”

“Really?” Albus sniffed and wiped his eyes on his sleeve. “Okay. Yeah, okay. Thank you. Sorry about all of the tears.” His heart rate slowly coming to a steady pace, Albus took a deep breath.

“It’s okay. Don’t apologize.”

The boys were silent for a minute. It was a comfortable quiet. Almost therapeutic. 

“So,” Scorpius finally broke the silence. “How long have you known? If you don’t mind me asking.”

“A month, maybe a little longer,” Albus responded. “I don’t know. I mean, looking back, it’s been evident for a long time, but I didn’t really put two and two together until this year.”

“That long, yeah? Damn, and to think you had to figure that all out by yourself. Why didn’t you say anything sooner?”

“I don’t know, I guess I was just afraid. Afraid of losing our friendship. And I wasn’t really ready, either. I kind of wanted to get comfortable with the idea myself before telling other people. You’re the first to know.”

“Shit, I guess I’m pretty special, huh?” Scorpius smirked. “Well anyway, I’m glad you told me.”

“Yeah, of course. I know it’s probably a lot to process. Any more questions? Just so we can get all of the- well, the awkward stuff- out of the way, and just go back to normal, I guess.”

“I do have one question.” Scorpius paused for a second and bit his lip, as if he didn’t quite know how to ask. “How, exactly, did you know? Was it just something you were sure about right away?”

“Well,” Albus took a deep breath. He obviously wasn’t going to tell his best friend that he was madly in love with him, but he could tell him the rest. There wasn’t much to it, really. “It was sort of a process. I mean, I guess I always kind of  _ noticed  _ guys more. I just never realized that it was attraction until recently. And girls, I never really fancied a girl- Delphi was merely a fascination. Of course, I’m not saying that you can’t like boys  _ and  _ girls- you can. But that wasn’t me. So I guess I just kind of put all of that information together and that was what I got.  _ Gay. _ ”

“Wait,” Scorpius leaned forward, his eyes slightly widening. “You can like more than one gender?”

“Of course,” Albus said. I found a whole book in the library about different identities and such. That’s where I learned all of these things from. There’s quite a bit of terminology; if for whatever reason you’re interested, I haven’t returned it yet.”

Scorpius had a slight smile on his face, and his eyes were somewhat glazed over. As if he were in thought. His eyebrows crinkled and he slightly chewed his lip. Scorpius always made the strangest expressions when thinking.  _ That boy is quite the enigma,  _ Albus thought.

“Cool. Maybe I’ll read it sometime.”

“Well, that’s pretty much it. Thanks for being accepting and everything.” Albus grinned, and his friend did exactly the same.

“Albus, of course I’m accepting. I don’t give a fuck who you love, as long as you’re happy. If anyone gives you shit, I’m prepared to go Levicorpus on their ass.” 

The pair giggled at the thought of their bullies hanging by the ankles. 

_ They were invincible, and there was no secret wild enough to break them. No truth large enough to drive them apart. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hoped you all liked this chapter!
> 
> Thoughts?


	7. We're Okay

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> finally, another chapter!! It's been two weeks! I feel like every time I post, I'm always apologizing for not updating enough- but here it is again: I'm so sorry! I promise I'm trying to write as often as I can. Anyway, here's chapter 7 (this one might seem kind of weird, but trust me- it'll make more sense with coming chapters- something big is going to happen soon and it'll all make sense as the story unfolds)

“Al, you ready for the Transfiguration exam?” Transfiguration had become difficult for Albus in the past month. N.E.W.T level work combined with figuring out his sexuality were a recipe for disaster, and the two had finally gotten to him. Luckily, Scorpius (who was an excellent student in _every_ subject) had spent the previous night tutoring him. Oddly enough, though, this had been one of the first days that he had been in the dormitories before bed. Albus figured he had just been studying alone in the library, as that was where he focused best. The boy had seemed extra stressed lately, so Albus was glad that his friend had cared enough to stay and help him all night.

“I suppose. As ready as I can be for Transfiguration, anyway.” He sighed, taking one last look at his notes. _If I could survive the Time Turner fiasco,_ he thought to himself, _I can get through this._

“You’re gonna do _great_ , Al.” Scorpius placed his arm around Albus and gave him a slight squeeze. “Now,” he exclaimed “I suppose we better get going.”

Albus felt his entire body go limp for a second at the sense of Scorpius’s touch. Of course, he knew that nothing could come from it, because they were _just friends._ And he was just as thankful that. A friend that accepted him and cared for him, that was more valuable than anything else in the world. Even though Scorpius had recently become a bit distant, he knew that his friend was still always there.

“Yeah. Yeah, let’s go.”

“Oh wait!” Albus jumped at Scorpius’s sudden burst of expression. “I keep forgetting to ask you this, but can I borrow that book of yours? The one with- well, with the, uh, the gay stuff? I just want to learn things, about, you know, what it is you’re going through.”

Albus snorted at his friend’s (adorable) awkwardness. “Here,” he removed the beaten up book from his trunk and tossed it to Scorpius. “It’s a muggle book, actually. I don’t really know what it was doing in the Hogwarts library.”

“Well, thanks!” Scorpius’s clear blue eyes lit up as he casually flipped through the pages of the book. “I’ll read some after class, and I’ll tell you what I think.”

Albus could not have been more grateful for his amazing support system. Scorpius was treating him like normal and even cared enough to learn about what Albus was going through. Rose, Lily, and Hugo also accepted him (Albus had decided to come out to his closer relatives at Hogwarts, before they found out elsewhere). He planned to tell his parents and James when he came home for Christmas, and then tell the rest of his cousins later on.

Smiling, the pair then proceeded to Transfiguration. Albus took a deep breath, closing his eyes, clearing all thoughts of Scorpius from his mind. He needed to focus. 

…

The rest of the day went on as usual. Albus thought he had passed his Transfiguration exam (despite running out of ink halfway through and missing five minutes to refill his inkpot). He hadn’t seen Scorpius for long after, as he had scurried off to the library. Said that he wanted to read the new book in quiet. So Albus curled up in his emerald sheets, closed his bed curtains, and nodded off into a deep sleep. 

…

Although the next day was Saturday, there was no trip to Hogsmeade due to an oncoming storm. The students were stuck inside all day, so Albus and Scorpius decided to venture down to the Great Hall for a big breakfast.

Sitting down at the usual spot, Rose caught Albus’s eye as she sat down at a table of Gryffindors. She seemed to be staring in his direction, but not at him. He followed her gaze, and saw that Scorpius was looking right back at her. His face was slightly red, and his crystal blue eyes squinted slightly with concern. Rose, on the other hand, smirked and winked at him, then turned around and struck up a conversation with Lily.

“Scorpius,” Albus began tentatively, “What was that about? Are you alright?”

“W-what? I don’t, I don’t know what you’re talking about. Are _you_ okay?” Scorpius barely stammered through his response, his face looking more and more like a tomato with each passing minute.

“You and Rose. Why were you two looking at each other like that? Are you up to something?” He felt a little hurt that his best friend wouldn’t tell him what was going on between him and his own cousin. Laced within that was a tinge of jealousy. Even though Albus knew that Scorpius would never love him like that, the signs of his admiration for Rose had begun to fade. Foolish as it was, Albus had hoped that maybe, under some bizarre circumstance, the two boys could be together one day.

“What? Oh, she’s just been- well, um, she’s been flirting with me lately. Yeah, flirting. That’s it. It’s a bit weird. I’ve just- I’ve just been trying to get rid of her, that’s all.”

“Okay,” Albus responded with doubt, “Whatever you say.”

“Albus.” Scorpius’s tone turned somber. “I’m really sorry for being such a shit friend.” He choked a bit mid sentence, and Albus could see the tears forming in his eyes. They always looked a little bluer when he cried.

“Scorpius, what are you talking about? What is _wrong_ with you today? You’re not a shit friend at all. Why would you even think that?”

“Oh, I don’t know, I’ve just been in the library all of the time, I’m never here for you anymore, and I just want to be close to you again. And you don’t seem to believe a word that I say about Rose, but it’s true, there’s really _nothing_ going on between us. I don’t like her like that at all. Look- I’m sorry Albus. I just- I don’t want to lose you, and I feel like I haven’t been here enough. I miss you." 

Albus looked at his dejected friend and leaned in. He took him in his arms and then squeezed him slightly, pulling him in for a hug. The boys stayed there for a minute, intertwined, as Scorpius sniffled into Albus’s shoulder. “It’s okay,” Albus exclaimed, “You’re okay. We’re okay.”

“Thank you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What's going on with Scorpius? Guess you'll have to see what happens in the next chapter :D (it's probably not what you think it is) (you're in for a big surprise)
> 
> i will really try and write faster this time i swear
> 
> thoughts on this chapter?


	8. Rumored Confessions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> chapter 8 is up!!

Monday came along in no time at all. Scorpius had to go straight to N.E.W.T. level Charms, but because Albus wasn’t in the same class, he had a free period. He decided to sit down for breakfast in the Great Hall (which usually only happened on weekends, due to the frantically busy life of a sixth year student).

Turning towards Scorpius’s bed, he noticed that the boy had already left. His bed remained unmade and his curtains open, an unusual feat for tidy Scorpius. 

Albus pulled on his Hogwarts robes so that he wouldn’t have to come back before class, and set out through the halls of Hogwarts.

“Albus!” A familiar voice called from the other end of the corridor. Without turning around, he knew that it was Lily. “Albus, wait up!”

His sister ran towards him with a goofy grin on her face, bright red hair swinging in a plait down her back. She shooting him a mischievous look, she giggled and gave him a hug. 

“Hey, Lily.” 

“Albus,” she exclaimed, slightly out of breath, “Why haven’t you told me yet?”

“Told you _what?_ ” Albus crinkled his brow in genuine confusion. He had already come out to Lily, so he knew that she wasn’t talking about his sexuality. She just continued to give him a loony grin.

“Albus, you _know_ what I’m talking about.” Silence. “Come on, I already know, so it’s not a big deal anyways. Quit pretending and tell me: do you like him back?” 

“Merlin, Lily, I honestly don’t know what the _hell_ you’re talking about. Since when do you know more about my life than I do? And who likes me anyway?” 

“ _Albus,_ quit hiding things from me,” Lily whined, “I honestly don’t know why the _hell_ you haven’t told me yet.”

“Told you _WHAT?”_ Albus snapped, stopping in the middle of the hallway. “Why haven’t you told me what the fuck is going on?” 

Lily stared at him, stunned. 

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to snap, but seriously! You have to tell me what’s going on!” Albus fought back tears. “There’s already enough I don’t have control of in my life! The least you could do is tell me what is happening!”

“Oh. I’m sorry. I figured that maybe Scorpius had told you already.”

 Albus went silent for a second. _Scorpius. Did he hear Lily correctly?_

It couldn’t be. Scorpius liked Rose. He was one of the straightest people that Albus had ever met. He loved _girls._

_Unless…_  

_Albus remembered the last Hogsmeade trip. He remembered Scorpius’s words._

_“Wait,” Scorpius had leaned forward, his eyes slightly widening. “You can like more than one gender?”_

_He remembered the perplexed yet thoughtful look on the blond boy’s face. His furrowed brow. The paradoxical look of confusion and relief in his crystal blue eyes._

“Told me...what?” Albus’s voice quivered as he hesitantly delivered the question. He knew the answer.

“Albus.” Lily beamed. “He’s in love with you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so that finally happened. explanations on how Lily knows this will come soon, i swear.


	9. An Assignment

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here's chapter 9- enjoy!

“Lily, what the hell?” Albus whispered, his heart pounding. His whole body seemed to go weak for a second. A cold sweat broke out on his neck as he leaned against the solid stone wall of the corridor. “Did he...tell you this?” 

“No,” Lily replied calmly, “Rose did.”

“ _Rose?”_

_That was why they she gave him that look in the Great Hall._  

“Yes.” 

“But-” 

“Don’t ask me, ask her. She knows what’s up; she’s actually been talking to Scorpius. I’m just the messenger. Anyway, I’ve got to get to class.” Lily paused for a second, then smiled at her brother. “Congratulations, Albus.” 

“But where is she?” 

“Check the common room!” Lily shouted. She was already gone, turning the corner with a spring in her step. 

…

Albus had to talk to Rose. Why did _she_ know what was going on, anyway? Why hadn’t Scorpius told him anything? Why did he trust _her_ more than he trusted his best friend?

_Check the common room._ Albus assumed that that meant the Gryffindor common room. While heading towards Gryffindor Tower, he became more and more eager to see what his cousin had to say. His whole body tense with nerves, Albus broke out into a casual speed walk- which turned into a jog- which soon became a full on sprint. _He couldn’t wait. He needed to hear this, now._  

Unfortunately, the stairs did not share his enthusiasm. Midway through his leap onto the next staircase, the entire structure shifted, nearly launching Albus off of the steps. He face planted into the cold, hard stone. As he forcefully pulled himself off of the ground, he realized that the staircase had moved to right outside of the common room’s entrance. A knight in one of the wall paintings winked. _Maybe the school knew that this was meant to be._  

He knew that he couldn’t get _too_ excited. Maybe Scorpius didn’t even like him. Maybe Lily was just messing with him. It was usually James that played harsh pranks, but Albus supposed that maybe Lily had taken after her older brother. 

_Why would Scorpius even like him, anyway?_  

Taking a deep, shaky breath, Albus approached the portrait of the Fat Lady. 

“Excuse me, I need to get into the Gryffindor common room, please.” 

“Password?” She looked him up and down, her gaze pausing on the green Slytherin tie. “A Slytherin? In the _Gryffindor_ common room?” 

“Er- yes, I need to talk to my cousin.” Albus fiddled with his tie. “Rose Granger-Weasley? You must know her.” 

“Of course I do, Potter.” Albus raised his eyebrows, taken aback by the portrait knowing his name. “And yes, I know you, too.” 

“So...can I come in, please?” 

“Password?” 

“I don’t have the- please, miss, you know who I am. I just want to speak with my cousin.” 

“I make no exceptions, Mr. Potter.” 

Albus sighed, leaning against the wall in defeat. 

“Albus?” The familiar voice startled him. “What on Earth are you doing here?” 

“Rose!” Albus sprinted over to his cousin. “Lily told me something...about Scorpius... and she said to ask you about it. And so I pose the question: Can you please tell me what the _hell_ is going on?” 

“Very well,” Rose tapped her chin with her wand. “Come with me.” 

**** 

“Professor McGonagall’s office?” Albus gave his cousin a wary look. 

“Yes.” Rose turned towards the large statue guarding the door. “Sherbert Lemon.” The gargoyle cleared the entrance. “Dumbledore’s old password. Works every time.” 

As the pair made their way up the steps, Albus began to get impatient. “So, Rose.” He took a deep breath. “I understand the whole ‘dramatic suspense’ thing, but for the love of Merlin, will you _please_ just explain this to me? I don’t appreciate being the only one who doesn’t know anything around here.”  

“Well,” Rose paused. “I suppose it would be better to show you.” She led him towards a large basin of a wispy, silver-white substance. “The Pensieve. Only found in the Headmaster’s Office.” 

She placed the tip of her wand on her temple and began extracting the same wispy matter from her head, a look of fierce concentration on her face. Then, she shook the substance from her wand into the basin. 

“Put your face in it,” she instructed, “and when we get there, you’ll see.” 

“Get...where?” 

“We’re going into my memories.. Don’t talk, just watch.” 

****

Scorpius and Rose sat together at the top of the astronomy tower, leaning on the balcony. Looking at the stars. 

Albus stood off to the side. He knew what the pensieve did, and obeyed what Rose had told him to do. He watched. 

“Rose,” Scorpius began, “I want to talk to you about something.” 

“What,” Rose scoffed, “You planning on asking me out again?” 

“No. It has absolutely _nothing_ to do with that.” 

Rose laughed, but when she looked up at Scorpius, his expression read as dead serious. 

“Oh,” Rose looked down at her feet. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to assume, I just figured that...I don’t know. What was it you wanted to talk to me about?” 

“It’s about Albus.” 

A small smile broke out on Rose’s lips. She nodded. “Ah. Makes sense.” 

“M-makes sense?” Scorpius’s face began to redden. “And what do you mean by that? I bet you don’t even know _what_ I’m about to tell you.”

“That you like Albus?” Rose gave Scorpius an innocent glance. “Am I correct?” 

“Bloody- what the hell? How did you-” 

“I read people pretty well, Scorpius.” Rose crossed her arms. “So why did you come to tell _me_?”

“Well,” Scorpius sighed. “I don’t really know, actually. I’m just trying to figure it all out. I don’t even know if I- you know.” 

****

Several more memories flashed by, most consisting of a distressed Scorpius with his head in his hands and a comforting Rose with her arm around his shoulders. These passed quickly and in blurred snippets; Albus guessed that they weren’t as important. Finally, another clear scene came into his view.

****

“Rose,” Scorpius appeared out of breath, gasping for air after having run up the tower’s stairs. “I think I’ve figured it out.” He clutched a book towards his chest. _Albus’s book._ “See, I finally asked Al to borrow the book. And I think I finally know what I am.”

Rose raised her eyebrows. “Yes?” 

“Well, I did like you at one point, which was why I never really addressed my feelings for Albus. I had been thinking, if I liked a girl, it would be impossible for me to like a boy. But that’s not the case. There’s this thing called being bisexual.” 

“So I’ve heard,” Rose exclaimed. “That’s excellent. I’m guessing that’s what you are?” 

Scorpius took a deep breath. 

“Yes. It all makes sense to me now.” 

“So,” Rose inquired, “Are you going to tell Albus?” 

“I definitely want to. I know he’ll be accepting, considering that he’s not straight either, and he leant me this book, which he has already read, so he clearly understands my sexuality. It’s just,” Scorpius paused for a second, “I like him. And I don’t know if I want to tell him that part.” 

Rose chuckled. “You clearly had no problem being that straightforward with me.” 

“But with you, I had nothing to lose. No offense. But this is different. He’s my best friend.” 

“Scorpius.” Rose looked him in the eye. “I can assure you that my cousin Albus would be honored to be liked by you.”

“Really?” 

“Really. Now, I have an assignment for you.” 

“An assignment?” 

“Come out to him. Tomorrow. Maybe even tell him about your feelings for him. I promise, it’ll make you feel better.”

“Very well,” Scorpius sighed, “tomorrow it is.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! Scorpius has finally come to terms with his sexuality and his love for Albus. 9 chapters later, it's about time.
> 
> Thoughts?


	10. Author's Note ((important please read))

Hi everyone- I'm so sorry I haven't updated in over a month. I don't know if anyone is still checking this fic or if it's been forgotten, but I just wanted to let you all know that I won't be finishing it. As much as I loved writing this, I just have so much going on right now and there are other things that I need to focus on, so I don't have the time to continue. I hope that you all enjoyed what I did end up writing. To everyone who kept up with my story and left me such wonderful comments- thank you so much. It meant so much to me to know that people actually liked what I was writing. I just figured I would tell all of you that I'm not finishing this, in case anyone was still waiting on another chapter.

But don't worry! You might still see some of my writing around. I may write one-shots here and there when I get the time (probably in a month or two). I've just decided to put this story behind me.

Thank you all so much for reading; I appreciate each and every one of you :)


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